The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of verbena plant obtained from a crossing "Novaris deep blue with eye" (.female.) and a wild type of verbena plant, Verbena peruviana (.male.) native to Brazil.
The verbena is a very popular plant and is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few varieties of the verbena plant which have a spreading growth habit, much branching, the formation of a high number of flowers in a spike and which have a high resistance to rain, heat, cold, and diseases. Accordingly, this invention was aimed at obtaining a new variety having a spreading growth habit, strongly branching, the formation of a high number of flowers in a spike, a large diameter flower, high tolerance to heat and cold, and resistance to diseases and pests, and also having vivid reddish purple flower petals.
The new variety of Verbena plant according to this invention originated from crossing verbena hybrida "Novaris deep blue with eye" (.female.) and a wild type of verbena plant Verbena peruviana (.male.) native to Brazil. The new variety of the present invention is botanically classified Verbena hybrida.
First of all, 74 seedlings were obtained in the autumn of 1992, from crossing "Novaris deep blue with eye" as female parent and a wild type of verbena plant (Verbena peruviana f. rosea) as pollen parent in the May of 1992. From this crossing, 28 seedlings were selected in view of spreading growth habit were propagated by cuttings, and then grown as a trial for flower bedding and planter growth beginning in the spring of 1993. Finally only one plant was selected from these 28 during such evaluation that was carried out until the autumn of 1994 and the botanical characteristics of 28 seedlings were examined, using the similar variety "Novaris deep blue with eye" for comparison. As a result, it was concluded that this verbena is distinguishable from any other variety whose existence is known to us, is uniform and is stable in its characteristics. This new variety of verbena plant was named "Sunmariba".
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with the Horticultural Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Colour Chart), and the Inter-Society Colour Council-Nation Bureau of Standard Color Name (I.S.C.C.-N.B.S. Color Name). A color chart based on The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plant (J.H.S. Color Chart) is also added for reference.
The "Novaris deep blue with eye" plant used in the crossing as female parent variety is commercially available. The main botanical characteristics of "Novaris deep blue with eye" are as follows.
Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: Low resistance to diseases and pests, low tolerances to heat and cold. PA0 Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: High resistance to diseases and pests, high tolerances to heat and cold.
Growth habit.--Erect. PA2 Plant height.--20-30 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--15-20 cm. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Absent. PA2 Branching.--Medium. PA2 Pubescence.--Medium. PA2 Length of internode.--3.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Hastate. PA2 Length.--3.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Width.--2.0-2.5 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Shallow. PA2 Color.--Dark yellow green (R.H.S. 146A, JHS 3508) PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Facing direction.--Upward. PA2 Outward curvature of petal.--Slightly curved. PA2 Diameter.--1.5-2.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color.--Dark purple (R.H.S. 86A, JHS 8609). PA2 Color intensity.--Absent. PA2 Overlapping of petals.--Opened. PA2 Spike.--30-40 mm in length: and 40-50 mm in diameter. PA2 Calxy.--1.0-1.5 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Absent. PA2 Peduncle.--2-3 mm in thickness; and 50-60 cm in length. PA2 Number of flowers.--Medium (commonly 10-14). PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Flower fragrance.--Absent. PA2 Flowering duration.--Long. PA2 Growth habit.--Spreading. PA2 Plant height.--10-20 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--100-150 cm. PA2 Diameter.--1.0-2.0 mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Medium. PA2 Pubescence.--Medium. PA2 Length of internode.--3.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Hastate. PA2 Length.--3.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Width.--1.5-2.0 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Shallow. PA2 Color.--Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 146A, JHS 3509) PA2 Pubescence--Few. PA2 Facing direction.--Upward. PA2 Outward curvature of petal.--Slightly curved. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color.--Strong reddish purple (R.H.S. 77B, JHS 8911). PA2 Color intensity.--Absent. PA2 Overlapping of petals.--Opened. PA2 Spike.--30-40 mm in length; and 50-60 mm in diameter. PA2 Calyx.--1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Absent. PA2 Peduncle.--1-2 mm in thickness; and 3.0-5.0 cm in length. PA2 Number of flowers.--Plentiful (commonly 10-14) PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Flower fragrance.--Absent. PA2 Flowering duration.--Short.
The pollen parent used in the obtaining of this new variety "Sunmariba" was a wild type of verbena native to South Brazil (Verbena peruviana). This wild type of verbena plant is presently maintained at the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory of Suntory Ltd., residing at 863-1, Aza-Iketani, Oomori-cho, Youkaiti-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan. . The main botanical characteristics of this pollen parent are as follows.
This new variety of verbena plant "Sunmariba" was asexually reproduced by cuttings at the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory of Suntory Ltd., 863-1, Aza-Ikentani, Oomori-cho, Youkaiti-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan, and the homogeneity and stability thereof were confirmed.